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Land Rover Defender D Auto Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Land Rover Defender D Auto car check

Is the Land Rover Defender D Auto reliable? We analysed 682 real MOT tests across 208 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 682 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.7%
Typical Mileage
37,754mi
Annual Mileage
9,267mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The Land Rover Defender D Auto is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Land Rover Defender D Auto.

Land Rover Defender D Auto Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Land Rover Defender D Auto. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Land Rover Defender D Auto MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Land Rover Defender D Auto to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

90.3%
2021
89.4%
2020

Land Rover Defender D Auto Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on Land Rover Defender D Auto models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 6
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 4
Road wheel fractured 3

Land Rover Defender D Auto Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Land Rover Defender D Auto owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
6,072 mi/yr
Typical
9,267 mi/yr
Average
10,925 mi/yr
Heavy usage
13,064 mi/yr

Land Rover Defender D Auto MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Land Rover Defender D Auto year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2021 72 90.3% 32,316 39,351 52,603
2020 596 89.4% 25,239 37,340 51,460

How Long Does a Land Rover Defender D Auto Last?

Based on 208 Land Rover Defender D Auto vehicles on UK roads.

Average
4.5 years
Median
4.0 years

Land Rover Defender D Auto Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Land Rover Defender D Auto MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
37,754 mi
75th Percentile
51,918 mi
95th Percentile
79,032 mi
Max Recorded
329,424 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Land Rover Defender D Auto

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2021

90.3% MOT pass rate from 72 tests

Year to avoid
2020

89.4% MOT pass rate from 596 tests

The best year to buy a used Land Rover Defender D Auto is 2021, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 90.3% across 72 tests. The 2020 model year has the lowest pass rate at 89.4% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Land Rover Defender D Auto Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Land Rover Defender D Auto THIS CAR 89.7% 682 37,754 mi — yrs
Land Rover Discovery 72.7% 4,388,972 108,947 mi 36 yrs
Land Rover Freelander 74.7% 4,326,495 85,110 mi 28 yrs
Land Rover Defender 72.3% 2,960,045 94,788 mi 43 yrs
Audi S3 Black ED TFSI QUATTRO S-a 96.6% 325 46,832 mi — yrs

Compared to the Land Rover Discovery (72.7% pass rate) and the Land Rover Freelander (74.7% pass rate), the Land Rover Defender D Auto outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Land Rover Defender D Auto?

The Land Rover Defender D Auto has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.7% across 682 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a Land Rover Defender D Auto with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical Land Rover Defender D Auto owner drives around 9,267 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Land Rover Defender D Auto — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Land Rover Defender D Auto reliable?
Based on 682 MOT tests, the Land Rover Defender D Auto has a 89.7% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Land Rover Defender D Auto?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a Land Rover Defender D Auto do per year?
The typical Land Rover Defender D Auto does around 9,267 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Land Rover Defender D Auto last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Land Rover Defender D Auto?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Land Rover Defender D Auto?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Land Rover Defender D Auto is 2021 with a 90.3% pass rate across 72 tests.